John Detmer, 79, passed away on July 27th, 2026, after a prolonged illness. John’s services will be held at Riverside National Cemetery on August 11, 2026, at 10:15 am, which will also be his final resting place.

John Detmer was born to Zygmunt Detmer and Elizabeth Detmer (Popowics) on May 22, 1947, in NY, NY. John grew up in the Bronx with younger siblings Christopher, Richard and Elizabeth.

In 1970, John met Kathleen (Kathy) Dertinger in Lindenhurst, NY, while they both were working at Times Square Stores. The two of them began dating and married June 4, 1971. They were married until Kathy’s passing in 2025 (54 years).

John and Kathy had two children, Edward and Eric. In 1981, they moved from Lindenhurst to Farmingville, NY, where they raised their family for several years. Due to a promising employment opportunity, John and Kathy moved to California and finished raising their children in Corona, Ca.

John’s passion in life was aircraft and aviation. At 18, he enlisted in the U.S. Air Force and earned the rank of Sergeant. He served his country for four years, mostly overseas in Europe. John’s passion for aircraft fueled his professional life. John worked for Fairchild Republic, Northrop Grumman and McDonald Douglas. His most proud accomplishments was his involvement in the A-10 Warthog project, the B-2 Stealth Bomber and the F-18 Super Hornet.

John and Kathy retired in the Four Season’s retirement community in Hemet, CA. In retirement, they shared many great memories together such as going to concerts, dances, community events, and trips to Morongo Casino. John and Kathy were avid Yankees fans and for many years watched almost every game together.

John is survived by two sons Edward (Michele) and Eric (Valerie), six grandchildren (Dylan, Ethan, Logan, Austin, Emily, Wyatt), one great-grandchild Vivian, and two step-grandchildren (Samuel and Colton).